The Lion, The Witch and The Emperor's Citadel
by JamesGrant42
Summary: Events leave Regina powerless in an unknown realm searching for her son. Stranded, she must entrust her safety to the mysterious Dark Prince. But can she really trust the man stole away her powers?
1. Prologue - Long Live The King

Prologue – Long Live the King

_ A long time ago, in a realm far, far away…a small boy wakes suddenly as light from the morning sun pours in through a large, open stone window. He stirs excitedly as he dresses himself in a set of fine clothes that have been laid out already on the great bed before him. Once dressed, he grabs a large book from the bedside dresser next to him and runs out the into the tower's hallway. A woman dressed in exquisite clothes stops him in his tracks. _

Woman: "Wait there, young man!"

_The woman smiles fondly as the boy reluctantly turns around._

Boy: "Mum! I have places to be!"

_The woman laughs._

Woman: "Not until you've eaten! Today's a big day for a young prince!"

_The young boy groans emphatically. _

Boy: "But Mum, the kitchens are so far away!"

_The woman smiles warmly at her son._

Woman: "You're lucky your mother cooks…so here you are, my son."

_The boy's smile broadens as he takes the small basket from his mother._

Woman: "What do you say?"

_The boy speaks up._

Boy: "Thanks mum, you're the greatest!"

_The boy turns to leave but stops and turns quickly around._

Boy: "Hey, Mum?"

_The woman turns and raises an eyebrow at her son._

Woman: "Yes, my son?"

_The boy looks at the basket briefly before speaking._

Boy: "Why do you cook? You're the queen and we have cooks in the castle kitchens."

_The queen smiles happily. _

Queen: "Because young prince, a wise ruler understands all their subjects. And it gives me great joy to provide for those I love…"

_The boy smiles warmly at his mother. She speaks as she begins to move away._

Queen: "Run along now Simba, your fathers waiting for you in his vault!"

_ Simba's grin broadens again as he turns around and leaves the hallway behind. After following a series of stairs he appears outside in a small courtyard. He looks up at the towering spire above him and gasps to himself. He continues on, this time descending a flight of wide marble stairs which give way to a large room of polished stone. Huge foundation pillars line the room's outer edge and guide Simba to a set of doors to a smaller chamber at the room's heart. A gleaming blue sword, wedged in the floor's stone, stands watch over the closed chamber behind it. Its pommel's single stone sapphire glows brightly as the prince approaches the chamber. The sword begins to rock from side to side until Simba speaks._

Simba: "Zazu! How are you today?"

_ Zazu begins to twist eagerly as Simba moves the basket of food to his other hand. The sword settles as Simba reaches out his now free hand and pats the sword's jewelled pommel fondly. He speaks again to Zazu._

Simba: "Where's my father?"

_The sword turns to the right and points to the Vault of The King's doorway. _

Simba: "Good! May I pass?"

_The sapphire jewel glows and Zazu tips forward releasing the doors locking mechanism. The heavy doors begin to swing open and Simba smiles happily._

Simba: "Thank you Zazu!"

_Simba passes by the sword and enters the brightly lit chamber. Inside, at a large table sits Simba's father mulling over documents. In another portion of the room two men argue over the wording of a special document. Simba ignores them and moves over the King's table and pulls up a small chair to one end. The king looks over to his boy and smiles broadly. _

King: "Ah, finally you arise, my son!"

_The two men stop the arguing and join them at the King's table. The older of the two men rounds the table and grabs Simba's shoulders in a fond embrace as Simba opens up the large book before him. The older man speaks._

Older Man: "Today is a great day to be alive, young boy! Or should I be saying young prince given today's ceremony?"

_The king laughs out loud._

King: "Yes Rafiki, old friend. Today my son becomes a man!"

_The king turns to the third man and smiles. The third man smiles briefly and rests on the other edge of the table, opposite the king. Rafiki smiles warmly at Simba before inspecting his book._

Rafiki: "And what is a young prince reading this day?"

_Simba slides over the book towards Rafiki, who turns the cover back over and reads its title._

Rafiki: "_Once Upon A Time_…I've not seen this book in the castle libraries." 

_ Simba responds as Rafiki flicks through the books glossy pages._

Simba: "A one-armed man in the market gave it to me…he said all of the stories in it a true!"

_Rafiki laughs heartily._

Rafiki: "Well, how about that then! Mufusa, what do you think?"

_Rafiki slides the book over to his king, who randomly chooses a page and begins to read with passion and fervour._

Mufusa: "_Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest…the bandit Snow White, pursued by the Evil Queen, finds refuge in the house of seven Dwarves…_"

_Mufusa stops reading and laughs to himself._

Mufusa: "Well, I guess she has her hands full! I've never heard of this Snow White, only of the Enchanted Forest…what do you think, brother?"

_The King's brother rolls his eyes before speaking curtly._

Brother: "I think it's unwise for young princes to be accepting strange gifts from charlatans."

_The king laughs._

Mufusa: "Concise counsel as always, brother."

_The king's brother nods and stands._

Brother: "I had best be gone. This is an auspicious day and I have much to prepare."

_Mufusa mood brightens and he stands as well._

Mufusa: "That we all do! Come Simba, I have something to show you."

_Simba closes his book, jumps to his feet and grabs the basket of food. Rafiki stands taller and speaks._

Rafiki: "I will see you all in the Palace Courtyard shortly."

_ Rafiki bows to them all before making his way out of the vault. Mufusa puts his arm around Simba as he walks him towards the door. _

_ The King's brother's curiosity is peeked as he rounds the table. He sees the book and flicks its pages until he nears the end of the book. He stops on an image of a dead man on hard stone cobbles wearing the king's exact clothes and a small ball of magic hovering above him. Simba notices his uncle reading and shouts back._

Simba: "Uncle Scar! Are you coming?"

_Scar startles and closes the book, placing it underneath his arm. Mufusa sees him with the book and smiles fondly._

Mufusa: "Brother, it's a children's book! You can read it later…"

_Scar stops and glances quickly at the book before nodding reluctantly._

Scar: "Of course…"

_Scar moves to the nearby bookshelf and places it amongst the myriad of other books there. As he does so a hand written note falls from its pages onto the floor before him. Curiously he reaches down for it. He reads it as he walks to the door. _

_ The note reads "When the Wronged Prince takes the heart of the Evil Queen this kingdom will be forever safe…"_

_ Mufusa raises an eyebrow at the piece of paper in Scar's hand._

Mufusa: "What's that, brother?"

_Scar crumples the paper quickly before placing it in one of his pockets. He smiles briefly before._

Scar: "Just the charlatan's shopping list…he was preparing quite a meal!"

_They all laugh. Mufusa speaks._

Mufusa: "I'm glad for him! Come now, Simba…so how much of this book have you read?"

_ Mufusa nods once to his brother before guiding Simba out of the Foundation Room. They continue to speak to one another as they leave._

Simba: "Most of it! My favourite part is when this prince turns into a lion to save a boy by climbing up a broken bridge!"

_Mufusa responds with enthusiasm._

Mufusa: "Wow! You'll have to read it to me sometime…"

_Simba laughs heartily. Their voices trail away as they climb the marble stairs to the world outside. Scar smiles savagely as he turns around and walks out the other exit behind the King's vault. He walks past an area bathed in shadows. He pauses as a tall figure concealed by darkness moves forwards. Scar speaks familiarly._

Scar: "I trust your people are in position…"

_The shrouded figure grunts in ascent._

Scar: "Good, on my signal herd them into the gorge. Do not fail me again…"

_Scar continues walking as the troll bows its mighty head once._

_ Mufusa and Simba ascend the last of the spire's stairs. The tail-end of their conversation can be heard. Mufusa now carries Simba's food basket._

Mufusa: "So, let me get this right…the Emperor's curse turns him into a man?"

_Simba shakes his head emphatically._

Simba: "No Dad, you've got it all wrong! The Emperor's curse turns him into a lion…the gauntlet's curse turns him into a man!"

_Mufusa bursts out laughing._

Mufusa: "This book of yours is awfully fond of curses!"

_Simba smiles at his father's happy mood. They stop at the top floor of the spire. Mufusa takes in a deep breath of fresh air before speaking to his son._

Mufusa: "This is the Spire of Dreams son and out there is our kingdom."

_Simba looks around the flat expanse of water and lush green plains. He turns back to his father._

Simba: "Dad, how come you always come up here at daybreak?"

_Mufusa moves to rest on the spire's rampart, placing the food basket to one side._

Mufusa: "Because son, this is the one place in the entire kingdom that can be seen from all corners of the realm. And it brings the people great comfort to know that their king is always watching over them."

_Mufusa lifts Simba up and places him on the rampart. He begins to show Simba the kingdom._

Mufusa: "Down there, is the mouth of the Great Lake…far beyond that are the foothill of the Wayward Mountains…over there are Rolling Plains, behind which the King's Wood flourishes and behind that stands the great White Mountain."

_ Simba looks out over the kingdom in awe. _

Mufusa: "You see, my son, after today this tower and everything else the light touches will one day be yours."

_Simba gasps as he glances out over the vast expanse surrounding the spire. _

Simba: "Really? Everything the light touches…when?"

_Mufusa laughs heartily. _

Mufusa: "Have patience, my son!"

_Mufusa moves off the rampart and raises Simba up onto his shoulders before continuing to speak._

Mufusa: "Simba, I'm going to tell you what my father once told me. A king's time rises and falls like the Sun. Someday, the Sun will set on my time and will rise with you as the new king."

_Simba's mood turns grave._

Simba: "You'll be gone?"

_Mufusa draws in a heavy breathe and smiles up at Simba._

Mufusa: "Yes, my son. Do you remember what I told you that night in the King's Wood?"

_Simba nods down at his father. Mufusa speaks kindly._

Mufusa: "Then you'll remember that if you ever feel lost or alone you can always look up and know that I'll always be there, watching over you for all of time."

_Simba smiles to himself._

Simba: "But only at night."

_Mufusa bursts out laughing._

Mufusa: "You learn too well, my son!"

_Mufusa sets Simba down before grabbing Simba's food basket. He continues speaking._

Mufusa: "Go find your mother…I believe she's in the Palace Courtyard with Rafiki."

_Mufusa hands Simba his food basket and ushers him to the spire's staircase. Simba smiles warmly as he leaves his father and descends the stairs quickly. _

_ As Simba reaches the base of the Spire of Dreams he meets Scar. Simba smiles happily at his uncle. _

Simba: "Hey, Uncle Scar! Guess what?"

_Scar rolls his eyes before speaking quietly._

Scar: "I despise guessing games…"

_Simba continues speaking as they start walking together._

Simba: "My father just showed me the whole kingdom, and one day I'm going to rule it all!"

_Scar nods unimpressed._

Scar: "Oh, he did. Did he?"

_Simba nods happily, very much pleased with himself._

Simba: "Yep! Hey, when I'm king, what'll that make you?"

_Scar smiles curtly._

Scar: "A monkey's uncle…"

_Simba laughs._

Simba: "You're so weird!"

_Scar laughs to himself._

Scar: "You have no idea…so I guess if you're going to become king, than there'll be no more little escapades like those in the King's Wood last week?"

_Simba stops dead, ashamed._

Simba: "You know about that?"

_Scar stops and leans in closer to his nephew._

Scar: "Please Simba…everybody knows about that."

_Simba swallows hard as they continue walking once more._

Simba: "Really?"

_Scar laughs._

Scar: "But luckily for you your father has a wonderful surprise for you!"

_Simba's mood livens as they make their way out into the wide castle promenade. They stop beneath an apple tree full of deep red apples. _

Simba: "So this surprise, what is it?"

_Scar smiles sweetly._

Scar: "No…I'm sorry Simba, I just simply can't tell you…"

_Simba moves over to his uncle and begins to pull on his robes._

Simba: "Please uncle Scar?"

_Scar shakes his head emphatically._

Scar: "No, it's just for you and your daddy!"

_Simba smiles sweetly, pleading with his uncle._

Simba: "If you tell me, I'll still act surprised."

_Scar playfully laughs._

Scar: "Oh you're such a naughty boy! Just stay here and I'll go get him for you."

_Simba sits down with his uncle's guidance._

Simba: "But father told me to go find mother?"

_Scar pauses a moment before speaking._

Scar: "Ah, your mother already knows where you are…she's in on the surprise as well!"

_Simba's mood brightens._

Simba: "Oh, okay…"

_Scar turns around and begins to leave. Simba shouts over to him before he rounds a corner they came in through._

Simba: "Hey uncle Scar?"

_Scar stops and turns around slowly. Simba continues speaking._

Simba: "Will I like the surprise?"

_Scar smiles sweetly._

Scar: "Simba, it's to die for!"

_Scar turns and leaves Simba behind. He moves around the street's corner until he is out of sight. He disappears in a cloud of dark purple magic, reappearing just below the summit of the Spire of Dreams. Now holding a purple jewelled staff, he ascends the last dozen or so steps on foot. He reaches the top floor and moves over to Mufusa who watches the last of the mass of ogres as the make their way along the castle's main promenade. Scar rests his right side on his staff. He speaks with a twinge of disgust as Mufusa gazes downwards. _

Scar: "Our…guests…have arrived in the Courtyard, sire."

_ Mufusa smiles to himself._

Mufusa: "You disapprove, brother?"

_Scar smiles at the king's bluntness._

Scar: "Only when we allow our enemies to march, unescorted, down our city's streets, your grace."

_ Mufusa smiles to himself before turning to his brother. _

Mufusa: "You would have me hold our grandfather's grudge?"

_Scar's grip on his staff tightens as he moves his left hand into the folds of the long robes he wears. _

Scar: "I would caution against placing faith in betrayers and insurrectionists."

_Mufusa nods slowly._

Mufusa: "You have always had a way with words, brother…would you have me slay them now in the streets? Or wait until they're in their mountain keeps instead?"

_Scar shakes his head slowly._

Scar: "Obviously not…but as Commander of the Palace Guard it is my duty to question your wishes when the city's safety in in doubt."

_ Mufusa nods slowly._

Mufusa: "We have sealed the promenade from the rest of the city at your request brother."

_ Scar exhales forcefully. Mufusa sees Scar's frustration and stands. _

Mufusa: "Brother, I have weighed the scales. And while I respect your counsel, this may be the only time during my reign that we can defeat this enemy without bloodshed."

_Scar raises an eyebrow._

Scar: "By making them our friends?"

_Mufusa moves in close to Scar and places his hands on both of Scar's shoulders and speaks warmly._

Mufusa: "And through marriage…Simba is to wed their princess Nala! In one fell swoop we reunite the kingdoms and put an end this futile vendetta!"

_Scar quickly glances from side to side. Mufusa continues._

Mufusa: "I know, older brother, that it pained you greatly when our father's magic passed you over and chose me. I have tried my best to make up for that cruel dishonouring by seeking your counsel…heeding you counsel and by elevating your position greatly in our society. But I fear all these fall painfully short…can you ever forgive the magic, or me, for this terrible transgression fate thrust upon you?"

_Scar pauses a moment before smiling fondly. He moves his free hand to Mufusa's shoulder and speaks._

Scar: "Of course, little brother…in fact, I have a gift for you!"

_Mufusa laughs to himself softening the mood a little._

Mufusa: "You needn't have, brother."

_Scar smiles as he reaches into the folds of his robes._

Scar: "Nonsense! Why don't you try these on for size?"

_Scar removes a pair of white leather and fine chainmail gauntlets from behind his robes. Protruding from each of the fingertips are steel claws. Mufusa eyes the gauntlets with eagerness. He takes them and pulls the on to his hands. He flexes and moves his fingers around. Suddenly the sharp claws project forwards, startling Mufusa. Scar smiles warmly before speaking. _

Scar: "I'm told that not even stone will dull those claws…try it for yourself."

_ Mufusa smiles keenly and turns to the spire's stone rampart. Scar smiles savagely as he twists his staff's jewelled tip backwards. He fires a volley of magical blasts behind himself as Mufusa rakes the gauntlet's claws over the hard stone of the rampart. Scar smiles sweetly as Mufusa tests the sharpness of the claws…_

_Simba sits beneath the shade of the apple tree eating the sweet pie his mother made for him when suddenly a volley of magical blasts rain down upon the Palace Courtyard. Simba hears the explosions and quickly glances up the promenade ahead of him. A mass of frenzied ogres start fleeing through the courtyard gates towards him. His basket beside him begins to rattle about as the ogres heavy footsteps shake the very bench he sits on. He stands quickly, grabs his basket and runs towards the barricaded side street. Simba bangs on the barricade but to no avail. Panic stricken, he turns quickly, dropping the basket. He begins to flee down the wide promenade with a hoard of ogres close afoot…_

_ Mufusa and Scar suddenly feel the spire beneath them reverberate with the stampeding ogres below. Scar moves quickly to the spire's rampart and peers over it. He speaks hastily._

Scar: "Look! Stampede in the Gorge…Simba's down there!"

_A grave fear fills Mufusa's eyes as he rushes over to the rampart. He sees his son running down the promenade with a hoard of ogres in frantic pursuit. He reaches for the sword and draws it quickly. Mufusa flips the sword and catches it by the blade._

Mufusa: "Zazu! Protect my son!"

_The king launches his sword towards the tangled throng below them. _

_ As Simba continues to run ahead of the mass of surging ogres he slips over on the Gorge's stone-floored pathway. He rolls several times before turning hastily around. His eyes fill with fear as a large ogre's immense form robs him of the Sun's warm light. _

_ Suddenly a blue jewelled sword pieces the stone in front of Simba, surprising him. Its pommel lights up as wall of blue magic expands around Simba. Zazu's shield slowly parts the stream of flowing ogres…_

_ Mufusa makes a hasty movement towards the spire's stairs. However Scar stops him._

Scar: "Wait there's no time! Use the gauntlets!"

_Scar points to the gauntlets on Mufusa's hands._

Mufusa: "But how, brother? Can't you use your magic?"

_Scar moves off the rampart and shakes his head._

Scar: "No, it's all tied up in removing our grandfather's curse! Right now the quickest way to your son is down the outside of the spire! Stay strong and you will not fall! Trust me!"

_Mufusa nods once and pulls the polished white gauntlets on tighter. He moves to the spire's ledge._

Mufusa: "Thank you, brother…"

_Scar nods once._

Scar: "Just hurry!"

_Mufusa draws in a quick breath before hurling himself over the spire's ledge. Sharp metal claws extend out from the gauntlet's fingertips. They catch the hard stone of the spire, surprising Mufusa. Sparks fly from the gauntlets as he begins his somewhat controlled descent down the outside of the Spire of Dreams. Halfway down he lets go of the wall and lands smoothly onto a protruding bridge joining the spire to a nearby tower. He rolls once before running its length and jumping off it. He catches a much smaller tower's outer wall and again descends swiftly. He finally comes to a rest a few stories above the castle's mile long promenade._

_ Mufusa spies Simba clinging to Zazu in the middle of the throng as the confused mass of panicking ogres stampede along the castle's main promenade. He climbs on to the rampart and runs alongside the thoroughfare. He sees a large ogre moving hastily towards the promenade's outer wall and hurls himself at it. He lands on the unsuspecting ogre who collapses underneath his falling weight. As the ogre collides with the ground Mufusa jumps free of it. He collects Simba up in his arms and rolls away to a brief safety. Zazu removes himself from the stone floor and flies into Mufusa's waiting hand. _

_ The felled ogre slows the flow of ogres around him as he begins to stir amongst his stampeding cohorts. Mufusa sees a gap forming between the Gorge's high stone walls and the recovering ogre. He throws Simba onto his back and makes a headlong dash for the ogre, running up the back of his leg and onto his shoulder. The felled ogre roars loudly as Mufusa propels himself powerfully off him and towards the wall. Mufusa draws Zazu above his head and with an almighty effort he plunges Zazu three quarters of his length into the wall. Simba clings to his father's back tightly as they hang perilously close to the stampeding hoard, but still out of reach of the wall's rampart above. _

_ The larger ogre manages to stand up. He grabs a female child close-by and hurls her over his right shoulder. He joins the throng and soon passes the dangling trio. With the larger ogre gone the bottle-neck of others behind him begins to move again. They push and pull each other until several are sandwiched against the Gorge's stone wall. Mufusa sees them coming and grabs Simba, lifting him up effortlessly towards Zazu's hilt. He shouts out to his son._

Mufusa: "Hold on, Simba!"

_Suddenly the tangled mass of ogres steal Simba's father away from him. Simba shouts out in fear._

Simba: "Dad!"

_Simba loses sight of Mufusa as the mass of ogres flow smoothly past him. He clings tightly to Zazu's hilt as he frantically searches the hoard for any sign of his father. Suddenly and with and almighty yell Mufusa surges up and out of the throng of ogres. He sinks the steel claws of gauntlets deeply into the Gorge's stony wall, downstream of Simba and begins to climb the steep-walled promenade. Simba's heart fills with joy and relief as he sees his father climb up the higher portion of the Gorge's wall. He loses sight of him as his father climbs around the other side of one of the overhead bridges that line the length of the promenade. Simba looks back towards the Palace Courtyard and notices that the ogres numbers are starting to thin out a little._

_ Mufusa grits his teeth hard and continues to drag his exhausted body up the height of the overhead bridge's support tower. He gathers himself before leaping up and out to catch the jutting-out rampart. _

_ Suddenly Scar appears in a cloud of dark purple above, startling him._

Mufusa: "Scar?"

_Mufusa slips a little. The brief fall rocks him from his confusion. He pleads for help._

Mufusa: "Brother, help me!"

_ Scar reaches down and grabs hold of his gauntlets. Scar smiles menacingly as dark magic flows from his hands over the gauntlets, colouring them deep purple. Without warning both gauntlets fold themselves onto each of Scar's hands, releasing Mufusa. The claws flare out quickly imbedding themselves into the back of Mufusa's shocked hands. He cries out briefly in agony. _

_ Mufusa settles and stares up into the cold, soulless eyes of his brother as the man he thought he knew reels him in closer. He whispers gently into his ear. _

Scar: "Long live the king…"

_Scar hurls his brother's scrambling mass off the rampart and into the stampeding hoard of ogres beneath him._

_ Simba sees his father suddenly fall and shouts out as Zazu's jewelled sapphire pommel light's up. Zazu tries desperately in vain to extricate himself from the hard stone of the wall. The two of them watch on helplessly as the king disappears into the last of the stampeding hoard of trolls._

_ Finally Zazu manages to free himself from the stone. He carries a horrified Simba towards the fallen body of his father. Simba lets go of Zazu, who drops to the ground. He rushes over to his father and grabs hold of him._

Simba: "Dad?"

_Simba looks around and sees no one. He shouts out to the empty promenade._

Simba: "Help! Somebody! Anybody…"

_Tears begin to well up in Simba's eyes. He shakes the lifeless king. _

Simba: "Come on, dad! We've got to go home…"

_Simba grabs his father's arm and tries to drag the once mighty king. When he can't move him he curls up in a ball under his father's arm and closes his teary eyes. _

_ Scar appears in a cloud of dark purple magic behind them. Suddenly Zazu's jewelled pommel lights up and he floats up off the ground. He turns his tip towards Scar and launches himself at him. Scar smiles menacingly at the sword before directing his staff at him. Scar fires three rings of golden magic at the charging sword. The rings encircle the sword and bind tightly around it. Zazu falls from the air and slides uncontrollable along the promenade's hard stone floor. He comes to a rest at Scar's feet. Scar smiles cruelly as he steps over the writhing blue sword. _

_ Zazu's collision with the pavement startles Simba. As Scar moves around in front of Simba and his limp father. Simba sees his uncle and crawls out from under his father's arm. _

_Suddenly a ball of glowing white light raises itself up and out of the fallen king. Simba withdraws quickly and clambers backwards some distance before standing up. The ball hovers there silently above the lifeless king, waiting. Scar draws in a heavy breathe and exhales with relief. He moves over to the orb and extends out his hand to it. He speaks quietly to the orb._

Scar: "At last…you are mine, come to me!"

_Scar moves to grab the orb of light. However, it evades his grasp and moves quickly towards Simba who turns around in a panic. He tries to outrun the orb but is too slow. It collides with him hard from behind. The ball enters Simba, causing him to lose consciousness. Simba's arms, legs and head fall limp. But he does not topple over. He hovers there in the air for a moment in silence as Scar inches towards him suspiciously. _

_Scar places his right hand on Simba's left shoulder. Without warning sharp claws extend from the fingernails of Simba's right hand. He spins around quickly and opens his eyes to reveal only white light. He focuses on Scar and lashes out with his right hand. The newly formed claws rake down his uncle's face from his left eyebrow to his right cheekbone. Scar's fury boils over as he powers his staff and directs its tip towards his hovering nephew. He moves to attack when suddenly the invisible force suspending Simba releases hold of the boy and he falls down to the ground. A scared boy regains consciousness and looks up at his uncle. Fear flavours his mumbled words. _

Simba: "Uncle? W-What's happening to me?"

_ Simba's terrified eyes fill with tears as he looks up questioningly at his uncle. Scar sees the terror in his eyes and stops his hasty assault. He powers down his staff. Simba mumbles softly as he embraces his uncle tightly._

_Scar looks down at his young nephew. He speaks firmly but not harshly. _

Scar: "I do not know…but the King is dead. And if it weren't for you he would still be alive."

_Simba stops crying and looks up to his uncle ashamed. Scar places his clawed gauntlets on each of Simba's shoulders and gently pushes him away from him as several trolls gather around the pair of them. Scar speaks again._

Scar: "Oh my! What would your mother think?"

_Simba begins to weep again._

Simba: "What am I supposed to do?"

_ Scar speaks coldly and without emotion._

Scar: "Run away! Run away and never return…"

_Simba swallows hard as he turns around quickly and begins to run away. He disappears down a newly opened street. Scar smiles savagely before speaking to the gathered trolls._

Scar: "Kill him!"

_The trolls roar and growl as they follow the boy down the twists and turns of the tangled side street. Simba comes to stop at the outer wall's stone parapets. Trapped, he searches in vain for a way out as the trolls approach, they stare menacingly at the small boy. The lead troll hefts his large hammer over his shoulder and stalks threateningly towards Simba. Simba freezes in fear as the lumbering troll advances upon him. The troll swings his mighty hammer, striking the young prince. The force of the blow sends Simba sailing over the parapet and into the corner tower of the city's stone wall defences. Simba impacts the wall hard, losing consciousness again. _

_ Suddenly his eyes open and glow with a bright light. He topples forward and catches the stone wall with claws that reappear on his fingertips. They cling to the hard stone as he slides down the outer wall of the city. The claws begin to grind away as Simba descends the hard stone wall. Halfway down they wear thin and he loses purchase on the wall. He once again topples from the wall unconsciously. He splashes into the city's moat before surfacing nearby face-down. He floats slowly away from the castle and into the wide open river that winds its way through the lush green plains that stretch out endlessly as far as the eye can see… _


	2. Chapter 1 - Rewriting Fate

Chapter 1 – Rewriting Fate

_Henry slumps his well-worn backpack against one of Storybrooke Harbour's wooden pylons as a steady, wind-whipped swell gently rocks the mighty Jolly Roger before him. Her busy captain prowls the deck as Henry leaves his bag behind and approaches the magnificent vessel before him._

Henry: "Permission to come aboard, Captain?"

_Hook startles momentarily, but soon laughs as Henry walks up the ship's gangway._

Hook: "Aye, granted!"

_Hook rushes over as Henry steps aboard the Jolly Roger. Henry holds out his hand to Hook, who takes it and draws the young man into a warm embrace._

Hook: "Henry! It's good to see you, mate."

_Henry smiles awkwardly as Hook releases him._

Henry: "What are you doing out here all alone?"

_ Hook smiles as he places an arm around Henry's shoulders. _

Hook: "I'm no longer alone, am I?"

_Henry can't help but smiles at the captain's youthful optimism._

Henry: "I guess not…you still didn't answer my question."

_Hook laughs before he continues to speak._

Hook: "Aye, you should know by now that a sailor's duties never cease even when docked in port."

_ Henry nods as he leaves the captain and strolls around the mid-deck. Hook rests lightly against the starboard rail. He raises an eyebrow at his restless guest as he removes a single coin from his pocket. When Henry finally turns around to face him Hook smiles and flips the coin over to his visitor. Henry catches it and eyes it curiously. _

Hook: "A penny for your troubles, sailor?"

_Henry inspects the tossed coin and laughs to himself._

Henry: "This is a dollar."

_Hook smiles happily._

Henry: "Nevertheless, the invitation still stands."

_ Henry nods as he looks nonchalantly around the ship's rigging again._

Henry: "It's just my mother…"

_Hook raises an eyebrow again._

Hook: "I'm afraid, young lad you'll have to be a tad more specific with that one."

_Henry smiles as he glances up along the starboard rail. _

Henry: "You get one guess…"

_Hook laughs to himself briefly._

Hook: "Aye, Regina. Who would've guessed otherwise?"

_Henry nods before continuing._

Henry: "Ever since the Evil Queen appeared in Storybrooke she seems…off."

_Hook nods slowly._

Hook: "Ah…well, your mother's been through the lot lately. Losing the outlaw on its own couldn't have been all smooth sailing."

_ Henry shakes his head gravely as he moves over to lean on the ship's portside gunnel. _

Henry: "No Killian, it's more than that…when we speak these days she seems so…lost. And she's stopped doing much of anything really."

_ Hook moves over to the gunnel and begins fastening ropes. _

Hook: "Well, idle hands do the devil's work!"

_ Hook slyly smiles as he passes Henry a coil of looped rope. Henry shakes his head and begins uncoiling the tangled rope._

Henry: "She still has some of her magic…"

_ Hook laughs aloud._

Hook: "Magic doesn't make the world go round, Henry."

_ Henry nods once as he begins coiling the untangled rope around his arm. _

Henry: "She's still seems lost though…"

_ Hook stops and turns to Henry._

Hook: "Regina did cleave her heart in two, Henry."

_Henry stops rolling the rope and looks directly at Hook._

Henry: "You think having the Evil Queen made her happy?"

_Hook shrugs his shoulders and takes Henry's coiled rope, storing it away safely._

Hook: "Regina's a complicated woman. All I know is that when you remove a part of yourself you change the whole."

_Henry nods and moves over to the mid-deck. Suddenly the Jolly Roger creaks loudly and a small ripple flows over the ship. Henry raises an eyebrow and speaks._

Henry: "What was that?"

_ Hook raises an eyebrow and smiles._

Hook: "Just the ship adjusting to the day's warmth."

_ Henry nods once and moves to dismiss it as nothing when without warning the ship creaks again. Hook laughs aloud as Henry jumps backwards suddenly._

Hook: "Lost your sea-legs there sailor?"

_ Henry ignores Hooks jest as he stares down at the mid-deck in front of him. He steps back again as two sets of five gouges appear in the deck below of him. Henry speaks._

Henry: "Hey Killian, what gouged the deck here?"

_Hook laughs out loud._

Hook: "I know even plank and rail from bow to stern and I know there are no gouges marking the mid-deck!"

_Henry looks up from the deck and raises an eyebrow at Hook. He points down as he speaks._

Henry: "Well, I hate to say it Killian but your wrong…look."

_Henry turns back towards the gouges as the ship creaks again. As quickly as they came all ten gouges disappear as Hook joins Henry on the mid-deck. Hook glances down at the unmarked deck before eyeing Henry suspiciously. _

Henry: "Okay, they were right there a second ago!"

_Hook raises and eyebrow concerned._

Hook: "Are you feeling well, sailor?"

_Henry rolls his eyes._

Henry: "You don't believe me?"

_Hook smiles at Henry._

Hook: "Oh, I've no reason to doubt you, Henry…but alas, there they are not. Do you still see them?"

_Henry smiles before shaking his head._

Henry: "No, they're gone now."

_Hook nods slowly._

Hook: "A mystery then…right! Carry on then, sailor…"

_ Henry laughs to himself before gathering up all his belongings. He walks onto the docks, leaving the Jolly Roger and her bemused captain in his wake. _

_ Henry begins walking along the water's edge as Emma appears upon the wharf carrying a basket. She boards the Jolly Roger and eyes the confused looking captain as he eyes the deck suspiciously. Emma smiles as she interrupts the flow of Hook's thoughts._

Emma: "Staring at work isn't going to get it done, Captain."

_Hook smiles warmly at Emma's light jest._

Hook: "Nor will a visit from a treasure-laden, fair maiden."

_ Emma laughs as she hands him the basket._

Emma: "Don't get your hopes up…it's one of Granny's."

_Hook laughs as he kisses Emma before taking the basket. _

Hook: "Do I dare ask what exotic delicacy graces this week's menu board?"

_ Emma smiles happily._

Emma: "Not if you want to keep your appetite."

_ Hook nods disappointedly. _

Hook: "Ah, I see…"

_Hook sets the basket down before leaning against the starboard rail. Emma looks down the rocky beach at Henry as he disappears around a bend. She turns back towards Hook and speaks._

Emma: "What did Henry want?"

_Hook smiles coyly as Emma's eyes narrow in suspicion._

Hook: "Uh-ah Swan, I'm honour-bound by the code."

_Emma rolls her eyes._

Emma: "Let me guess…what happens on the Jolly Roger stays on the Jolly Roger?"

_Hook laughs as he glances down the rocky beach._

Hook: "Aye, or something to that affect. Besides, what's a man without a little mystery?"

_ Emma shakes her head and laughs._

Emma: "Technically, we're still aboard your boat…"

_Hook immediately interrupts Emma._

Hook: "Ship…boats are for toys, love."

_ Emma shakes her head again._

Emma: "Okay, your ship…"

_Hook nods once. _

Hook: "Better."

_Emma rolls her eyes before looking down the beach Henry disappeared down._

Emma: "No really, what did Henry want?"

_Hook looks down the same beach before speaking._

Hook: "Your son was just concerned about his mother…the other good one."

_Emma laughs to herself._

Emma: "Regina…who isn't worried?

_ Hook nods slowly. _

Hook: "The boy's concerns are valid, Swan. She's been keeping to herself since the spell traded Hyde for her duplicate."

_Emma sighs as she rests on the starboard rail alongside Hook._

Emma: "The switch was her idea, you know?"

_Hook nods patiently._

Hook: "Aye…and it rid us of a most formidable and unpredictable adversary."

_Emma nods, turning to Hook._

Emma: "Yeah, but replaced him with a far more dangerous one."

_Hook sighs to himself._

Hook: "Such was the nature of the incantation…"

_Emma shrugs unhappily._

Emma: "Better the devil we know, I suppose…"

_Emma stands up before speaking again._

Emma: "Well if Henry's concerned I'd better go and pay the good queen a visit."

_Hook smiles as he stands as well._

Hook: "Be gentle, love…"

_Emma smiles before drawing Hook to her. They kiss and Emma smiles coyly before speaking._

Emma: "Aren't I always?"

_Hook shakes his head from side to side as he watches Emma traverse the gangway and disembark the Jolly Roger._

_ Henry strolls calmly along the still waters of Storybrooke Harbour and out of sight of the Jolly Roger. He reaches down and gathers up a small stone. Henry sighs heavily, casting the flat stone into the water. Without warning the stone flies back out of the water and hits him squarely on his forehead. Henry growls and rubs his injured brow as a nearby figure begins to laugh happily. Surprised, Henry turns around quickly to meet Poseidon. Henry raises his uninjured eyebrow at the King of the Sea who begins to speak jovially._

Poseidon: "I would advise against casting stones into unfamiliar waters, but I fear that lesson has already been learned."

_Henry nods and continues to rub his head. _

Poseidon: "Anyway, what troubles you? Henry, am I right?"

_Henry nods quickly again, gazing out over the calm blue waters before him._

Henry: "Is there is a way of changing the future without changing the past?"

_ Poseidon laughs happily. _

Poseidon: "Why, that's exactly what we do with every action taken here in the present."

_ Henry nods again and sighs deeply. Poseidon examines Henry closely before speaking. _

Poseidon: "You wish to change your own fate, do you?"

_Henry shakes his head quickly, irritating his slowly fading injury._

Henry: "No, my mother's. But it seems like its set in stone…"

_Poseidon nods happily again._

Poseidon: "Well, if you want to improve her fortune I know of no place in the sea…however, rumours say that such a place exists on land."

_ Henry's mood brightens a little._

Henry: "Really, where?"

_ Poseidon smiles happily. He points towards the forest behind them._

Poseidon: "In the forest behind you, there is a well that has the power to grant any unselfish wish made to it."

_ Henry sighs, his growing happiness evaporating in an instant._

Henry: "Oh, I doubt that will help her when she's up against this…"

_ Henry removes a large leather-bound storybook from within the backpack slung around his shoulder. Poseidon eyes the book curiously._

Poseidon: "May I see that?"

_ Henry hesitates and Poseidon laughs to himself._

Poseidon: "I have no wish to take it from you, besides only water imbued with magic can wash the ink from these pages."

_ Henry smiles and hands Poseidon the storybook. He flicks through the book in awe._

Poseidon: "This is a powerful object you have here, Henry…"

_ Henry shrugs, unconvinced._

Henry: "It's just a bunch of stories."

_ Poseidon smiles curiously._

Poseidon: "All of which have come to pass."

_ Henry nods once._

Henry: "I suppose, the written word holds many truths…"

_ Poseidon laughs to himself._

Poseidon: "And just as many lies…what do you know of the legends below the waves?"

_ Henry raises an eyebrow._

Henry: "Not a lot, actually…"

_ Poseidon smiles and turns towards the sea, the storybook still open in his arms._

Poseidon: "Well, just like on land there are stories of the sea, so too in the sea there are stories of the land."

_ Henry nods curiously in agreement._

Poseidon: "One legend tells of a leather-bound volume that, rather than just holding tales of might and magic, actually holds the flow of time itself…protecting it from all of those who seek to alter it."

_Poseidon suddenly snaps the storybook shut, jarring Henry form his brief reverie. Poseidon laughs and hands the storybook back to Henry._

Poseidon: "But then again who really believes in legends these days?"

_ Henry smiles and nods once._

Henry: "Yeah, who even reads books?"

_ Poseidon smiles slightly disappointed._

Poseidon: "Too true…and as far as I know the only person who can destroy that book is one of its authors."

_Henry laughs and places the storybook back into his backpack and slings the whole lot over one shoulder. He turns slowly before speaking._

Henry: "Thanks for the chat. I guess I'll see you around sometime?"

_ Poseidon smiles and nods quickly before waving to Henry as he moves steadily away. Poseidon shouts over to Henry causing him to turn around._

Poseidon: "Remember actions, like your stone casting, have consequences…so be certain you're acting for the right reasons."

_ Henry smiles slyly and waves goodbye. He quickly disappears into the wooded forest._

_ Poseidon smiles slyly as well as he walks further down the stone beach. Suddenly he is surrounded in a cloud of dark purple magic before emerging as a tall figure wearing a heavy black robe. The figure casually walks down the beach briefly before stopping. He turns around to face the sea and moves his right arm out in front of him. The man stares at his arm for a moment before smiling happily as his arm begins to fade away._

Figure: "So, the boy's the final piece."

_The figure slowly disappears completely._

_Emma arrives outside Regina's manor house. She climbs out of her yellow car and draws in a deep breath before closing the door. She walks steadily up to the front door and rings the bell. After several tries with no response Emma moves to the door handle. She turns it once and is surprised that it's locked. She checks the street for bystanders before removing a small kit from her jacket pocket. She uses the kit to pick the lock quickly. _

_ Once successful Emma opens and enters the Regina's mayoral mansion. She moves around the mansion's many empty rooms until she finds Regina searching through stacks of boxes in her up-stairs office. Regina looks up from the newly rummaged mass of items as Emma enters the room._

Regina: "Shouldn't a sheriff know 'breaking-and-entering' is still considered illegal in this town?"

_Emma laughs to herself._

Emma: "Well, technically I haven't broken anything."

_ Regina smiles to herself._

Regina: "Not yet…anyway Sheriff Swan, what reason do you have for 'entering' my home?"

_ Emma smiles happily._

Emma: "Well Regina, you don't call. You don't write…hell, you don't even answer your door anymore!"

_ Regina laughs and turns around to the wide windows behind her._

Regina: "Ha! How can I? When she's out there watching, bidding her time…waiting for me to slip up."

_Emma raises an eyebrow at Regina curiously._

Emma: "Are you feeling alright, Regina?"

_Regina turns quickly around eying Emma suspiciously._

Regina: "Of course…why wouldn't I be?"

_Emma shakes her head as Regina buries herself in amongst her mother's old things. _

Emma: "No reason…you just seem a little on edge, that's all."

_Regina sighs and comes up for air. She raises her arms above her head in frustration._

Regina: "Well, wouldn't you be if you had your evil half made whole? And if that's not bad enough! To then have her brought into your home when she wants nothing more than to punish you and destroy everyone you love!"

_Emma moves in closer towards Regina and begins piling Cora's belongings back into their original boxes. _

Emma: "Regina, have you ever thought the reason the Evil Queen hasn't hurt anyone may be because she might not want to hurt anyone at all? Otherwise, we'd all be pushing up daisies right now!"

_Regina pauses briefly before moving to rummage through another box. Emma stops filing as she grabs hold of an ornately carved and curling wooden baton._

Regina: "Well no…but I can't be as complacent as you. She's up to something, I know it…"

_Regina reaches over and suddenly snatches the baton from Emma._

Regina: "Don't touch that!"

_Emma is taken aback. She raises her palms up._

Emma: "Geez, Regina! Sorry for trying to help…"

_Regina sighs as she gazes at the curling wooden baton now in her hands._

Regina: "It's me who should be apologizing, Emma."

_Emma smiles happily._

Emma: "Don't sweat it. What is that anyway?"

_Regina nods once before placing the baton back on the table._

Regina: "You shouldn't touch this one, I wouldn't want you eviler half channelling its dark power."

_Emma nods transfixed by the wooden baton. _

Emma: "Yeah, well okay. Next time a little heads-up might be in order!"

_Regina smiles but says nothing further._

Emma: "It's one of Cora's, isn't it?"

_Regina nods and turns to Emma._

Regina: "It's part of the magic my mother stored away to boost her own in case of emergencies, but it's effects only last a few moments. I went to use it, you know? But when I tried I failed miserably."

_Emma looks at Regina curiously._

Emma: "How come?"

_Regina growls out her frustration, surprising Emma._

Regina: "Because I'm good now! For all the good it's gotten me…"

_Emma laughs to herself._

Emma: "You want to be evil again?"

_Regina shakes her head from side to side and sighs._

Regina: "Of course not…I just want my magic back! All of which just happens to be tethered to my darker side."

_Emma smiles knowingly._

Emma: "Not all your magic. You still have the light you defeated Zelena with."

_Regina shrugs away Emma's suggestion._

Regina: "Yeah, but that's sporadic at best. And at worst I could level half the block!"

_Emma laughs at Regina's exaggeration._

Emma: "You just need to learn how to control it…I can help you with that, if you let me."

_Regina laughs out aloud._

Regina: "Ha! Now isn't that the height of insult!"

_Emma smiles to herself._

Emma: "More like irony…"

_Regina turns towards Emma slightly disgusted. Emma continues before Regina can speak._

Emma: "Regina look…Henry's worried about you and frankly, so am I."

_Regina scoffs and turns away from Emma._

Regina: "Well, you both have nothing to worry about."

_Emma moves around back into Regina's line of sight._

Emma: "Oh, really? These past few months you've become distant, withdrawn and, dare I say it? A little paranoid! You know, not everyone is out to get you."

_Regina rolls her eyes._

Regina: "Yeah? Well, past experience tells me otherwise."

_Emma draws in a deep breath before speaking._

Emma: "Regina, just swallow your pride for once and let me help you…for Henry's sake."

_Regina crosses her arms over her chest._

Regina: "Okay, fine!"

_Emma raises an eyebrow at Regina._

Emma: "Really, just like that?"

_Regina sighs deeply before speaking calmly._

Regina: "You know one day that card may not work…"

_Emma smiles happily._

Emma: "Well, we play what we're dealt. We're still good?"

_Regina laughs to herself._

Regina: "Like I have a choice in the matter! Yes Swan, we're good."

_Emma nods before moving back around to the other side of Regina's desk._

Emma: "Good…I'm going to see my parents now, but I'm free after that if you are?"

_Regina uncrosses her arms and begins sorting more of her mother's belongings._

Regina: "Apparently now that I'm as reclusive as a hermit, my schedule's always free."

_Emma smiles and exits Regina's office._

_Henry takes the storybook to the wishing well and drops it into the well. As the book plummets to the bottom it suddenly disappears in a cloud of dark purple magic. Henry raises an eyebrow before quickly turning around to see the Evil Queen holding the storybook. He grits his teeth and clenches his fists._

Henry: "Hey, that's mine!"

_The Evil Queen laughs happily as she clutches to the book firmly._

Evil Queen: "Not if you're going to destroy it, young man."

_Henry growls and rushes at the Evil Queen. She smiles and flicks her right hand, causing the nearby tree branches to reach out and wrap around Henry's waist. They lift him up as he struggles in vain against their many tangled limbs. Henry cries out with frustration._

Henry: "Argh! Let go of me!"

_The Evil Queen smiles as she examines the book in front of her nonchalantly._

Evil Queen: "Only when you've calmed down. Believe it or not, I have no wish to harm you."

_Henry continues to struggle against his bonds_.

Henry: "Yeah? Well, the feeling's not mutual."

_The Evil Queen rolls her eyes._

Evil Queen: "Very well…if you won't take my word for it, then here."

_The Evil Queen flicks her wrist again and the branches let go of him. Henry hits the ground, but soon stands up. He rushes at the Evil Queen again, this time a blue force-field bounces Henry off the Evil Queen and he is sent flying across the wooded clearing. The Evil Queen smiles as Henry tumbles away from her, she speaks._

Evil Queen: "Until you're wits match your bravery you will lose every time, Henry."

_Henry slowly gets to his feet again patting the dry dirt from his clothes as he does so._

Henry: "What happened to not hurting me?"

_The Evil Queen smiles savagely._

Evil Queen: "I said I lacked the desire, not the capacity…and besides if you want to nit-pick it was you who ran into my shielding spell."

_Henry shakes his head slowly before pointing towards the storybook still in the Evil Queen's hand._

Henry: "Do I get that back sometime soon?"

_ The Evil Queen smiles sweetly. _

Evil Queen: "Of course, when you tell me what you're doing with this all the way out here?"

_ Henry smiles to himself._

Henry: "That's my business…"

_ The Evil Queen smiles sweetly again, patting the storybook in her arm._

Evil Queen: "And now it's mine…if you want this back then start talking, young man."

_Henry readjusts his clothes before speaking calmly._

Henry: "Okay, give me the book and we'll talk, evil mum."

_The Evil Queen laughs heartily._

Evil Queen: "You really expect me to fall for that? Anyway, I asked first…what are you up to out here?"

_Henry moves to refuse the Evil Queen until she raises him off the ground with magic._

Evil Queen: "No more games, Henry."

_Henry nods quickly once and is lowered back to the ground._

Henry: "Fine, I'm here to destroy the book."

_The Evil Queen laughs to herself._

Evil Queen: "That much was obvious…for what purpose?"

_Henry sighs to himself, pausing briefly._

Henry: "To change the future."

_The Evil Queen raises an eyebrow._

Evil Queen: "You know you can't use fate reversal magic on yourself, don't you?"

_Henry smiles savagely._

Henry: "Well, it's a good thing I don't want to change my own then. I was using the book and the well to wish back the person a loved one, loved…"

_The Evil Queen raises an eyebrow curiously._

Evil Queen: "Who?"

_ Henry smiles slightly pleased with himself. _

Henry: "Daniel…"

_ The Evil Queen sighs. _

Evil Queen: "A noble thought…and a foolish one at that! You know you would've ceased to exist had you succeeded in bringing Daniel back?"

_Henry eyes at the Evil Queen suspiciously._

Henry: "What? I would have brought him back now."

_The Evil Queen shakes her head slowly._

Evil Queen: "No Henry, with the book gone you would've brought Daniel back when he was a…"

_The Evil Queen falters on her words, she pauses a moment to regain her composure. She continues speaking._

Evil Queen: "When he was. And if he were alive, then the Charmings would never have met. Without them there's no Emma and no more you."

_Henry looks surprised._

Henry: "Oh…well, being evil wouldn't you want Daniel back, regardless?"

_ The Evil Queen shakes her head and levitates the storybook, sending it back to Henry. _

Evil Queen: "Not when you're the cost."

_ Henry nods slowly, but looks confused as he catches the storybook. _

Henry: "What's this?"

_The Evil Queen smiles slyly. _

Evil Queen: "Your book, of course!"

_Henry raises an eyebrow at the Evil Queen suspiciously._

Evil Queen: "Well, if you're still willing to help us, someone's got to make sure you don't destroy half the town in the process."

_ Henry laughs to himself in disbelief._

Henry: "You mean you won't stop me?"

_The Evil Queen laughs as she shakes her head._

Evil Queen: "Stop you? I'm going to show you how! Just answer me one thing, why Daniel?"

_ Henry nods slowly. _

Henry: "To help my mother find her happiness again. I think he could've changed her fate."

_The Evil Queen smiles fondly._

Evil Queen: "He would've changed mine too, but you only need to make her happy. That is all! Fate reversal magic is very powerful, Henry. So, before you start you had best be certain…"

_ Henry smiles enthusiastically. _

Henry: "I've never been more certain about anything in my life!"

_The Evil Queen smiles as well. _

Evil Queen: "Good, unfortunately you lack the ingredients for your particular spell."

_The Evil Queen moves her hand and a row of ingredients appear on the ledge of the wishing well. Henry's mood brightens as she moves over to the wishing well._

Henry: "You're going to cast the spell for me?"

_The Evil Queen shakes her head and laughs._

Evil Queen: "Of course not! This is an author's spell, and we already have one of those, last time I looked."

_ The Evil Queen beckons Henry over to the well. _

Henry: "Why do I get the feeling like another shoe is about to drop?

_The Evil Queen laughs._

Evil Queen: "Because you are smart, that's why Henry."

_Henry eyes the Evil Queen suspiciously again._

Henry: "So, why are you helping me?"

_ The Evil Queen hesitates a moment before plunging her hand into her chest, she removes her own heart. She hands the blackened heart to Henry._

Evil Queen: "This is why…"

_Henry raises a curious eyebrow._

Henry: "You trust me with this?"

_The Evil Queen nods slowly._

Henry: "How do you know I won't crush it?"

_ The Evil Queen turns to Henry and smiles fondly._

Evil Queen: "Because I know you…as much as the, others, will tell you otherwise."

_ Henry looks at the Evil Queen's heart as she continues._

Evil Queen: "You know, I remember the first moment I saw you?"

_Henry looks up at the Evil Queen and shakes his head, surprised. The Evil Queen continues._

Evil Queen: "It was the moment I fell in love with those big brown eyes. I even remember the relief I felt the first night you feel asleep cradled in my arms and the joy when you took your first steps through the world."

_ Henry looks up at the Evil Queen._

Henry: "You remember all that?"

_ The Evil Queen laughs heartily._

Evil Queen: "Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"

_ Henry raises an eyebrow. _

Henry: "But you're evil?"

_ The Evil Queen smiles coyly. _

Evil Queen: "And that makes me incapable of feeling anything?"

_Henry shrugs, allowing the Evil Queen to continue speaking._

Evil Queen: "Besides, were we really so saintly before the split?"

_ Henry nods slowly with understanding. The Evil Queen points towards the assorted ingredients._

Evil Queen: "If I may, it would be an honour to witness you cast your first spell?"

_ Henry continues to eye the Evil Queen's heart as a faint flicker of light illuminates it's cold, dark core. He smiles and turns towards the Evil Queen._

Henry: "I'd like that very much…evil mum."

_ The Evil Queen laughs as Henry hands her back her heart._

Evil Queen: "It's a good thing you hadn't crushed this…the other me would've died as well."

_ Henry looks suddenly shocked._

Henry: "What?"

_The Evil Queen nods as she places her heart back in her chest._

Evil Queen: "We share one heart and one soul you don't last long with only half of either."

_ Henry raises an eyebrow._

Henry: "My grandparents share a single heart."

_ The Evil Queen rolls her eyes._

Evil Queen: "Yes, that little revulsion I'm acutely aware of…"

_ Henry furrows he eyebrows concerned._

Henry: "Hey, they're my grandparents!"

_ The Evil Queen sighs._

Evil Queen: "Well then, wish them both long lives because once one passes the other…"

_ The Evil Queen notices Henry's dismay and so softens her tone._

Evil Queen: "Will too…anyway, don't you have a spell to cast?"

_ Henry smiles happily again._

Henry: "What do I do?"

_ The Evil Queen smiles as well._

Evil Queen: "Okay, here comes the fun part!"

_Henry leans in close as the Evil Queen unrolls a small scroll beside him._

_Emma climbs the stares and knocks on the door to her parent's apartment. Charming opens the door and immediately smiles broadly._

Charming: "Emma!"

_Charming leans in and hugs Emma enthusiastically. _

Charming: "How are you going?"

_Emma laughs lightly._

Emma: "I'm always good!"

_Charming ushers Emma inside._

Charming: "Come in, come in! Your mother's just upstairs and will be down in a minute. Would you like a cup of coffee or something?"

_Emma laughs as they enter the apartment._

Emma: "I'd love a coffee, if that's what's going?"

_Charming bows briefly, before closing the door._

Charming: "Your wish is my command."

_Emma smiles as Charming fills the kettle and collects three cup from the cupboard. Emma can't help but smile at the way Charming moves efficiently around the kitchen._

Emma: "Well, isn't someone turning out to be the perfect housemaid!"

_Charming laughs as well._

Charming: "Well, you know what they say happy wife, happy life. Speaking of which…"

_Charming smiles briefly as he looks up the stairs._

Charming: "Hey, Snow! We've got guests!"

_Charming smiles while he waits for Snow's reply._

Snow: "Who is it?"

_Charming motions to Emma to speak, she smiles briefly before shouting up the staircase as well._

Emma: "Just you favourite daughter!"

_Snow pauses momentarily._

Snow: "Emma?"

_Charming shakes his head as Emma laughs._

Charming: "No, guess again!"

_Snow descends the staircase to find the two of them laughing._

Snow: "Well, I can see the pair of you enjoying yourselves, at my expense no doubt?"

_ Emma smiles as she hugs Snow warmly._

Charming: "Just a little dad-daughter bonding is all."

_Snow nods slowly, unconvinced._

Snow: "I see…I hope you, at least, offered our honoured guest some refreshments?"

_Charming bows regally._

Charming: "Of course, your highness. I have the kettle boiling as we speak, if that is to your liking?"

_Snow eyes Charming suspiciously._

Snow: "It is…"

_Emma smiles amused._

Emma: "You've trained him well…"

_Snow nods happily as Emma sees Neal across the room_

Emma: "So, how's my favourite baby brother?"

_Snow turns to Emma happily as she takes over making them their hot drinks._

Snow: "He's great! Today he gets to have his play-date with Robin, Zelena's bring her over any minute now…oh, and I think he said his first word!"

_Emma turns to Snow surprised._

Emma: "Really? That's awesome."

_Snow nods emphatically._

Snow: "Yeah, I know. People say they grow up so fast, and they're so right, Emma."

_Emma smiles as she approaches little Neal sitting up in his play-pen. She kneels down and holds out her hand to him. He smiles happily and grabs hold of her extended finger causing her to smile again._

Emma: "Hey there baby brother…are you speaking now?"

_Emma turns towards Snow as she gentle moves both her and Neal's arms around in a swaying motion. _

Emma: "So, what did he say?"

_Snow finishes making them both a cup of coffee and moves over towards Emma who stands and takes possession of her warm cup. _

Snow: "Earth…"

_Emma raises an eyebrow in slight surprise as Charming moves to the kitchen bench shaking his head._

Charming: "He did not."

_Snow turns to him shocked. She places her free hand defiantly on her hip as she leans on the opposite side of the kitchen bench to Charming._

Snow: "He did too! I was there."

_Charming scoffs as Emma smiles silently into her coffee mug._

Charming: "Yeah, and so was I! And it sounded more like 'erp' to me."

_Snow rolls her eyes at Charming before speaking._

Snow: "Oh, nonsense…you had your guard down while you lounging around on the sofa."

_Charming turns towards Snow affronted._

Charming: "Wait a minute! First of all, I was recuperating from a rather busy day at the office. And second, a true warrior's guard is never down, ever."

_Snow laughs and turns towards Emma while still directing her words towards Charming._

Snow: "Well, you were still half asleep whatever your state of 'recuperation'."

_Emma laughs awkwardly to herself. She looks from Snow to Charming trying to discern the real reason for her parent's sudden bout of bickering. Charming interrupts her confusion as he moves over to Neal to give him his bottle. _

Charming: "To the untrained eye yes, but my other half was still keenly alert to all my surroundings."

_Snow laughs lightly again before moving over and sitting herself down on the lounge. Emma joins her awkwardly._

Snow: "Then why did you nearly jump out of your skin the moment I spoke up?"

_Charming laughs as he kneels down. He hands Neal the bottle before swivelling around to speak to Snow._

Charming: "Can I help it I married the most light-footed princess in all the known realms?"

_Snow rolls her eyes again._

Snow: "Oh, please! An ogre could've traipsed through the living room and you wouldn't have battered an eyelid."

_Charming shakes his head as Neal takes hold of his bottle._

Charming: "I'm starting to think one did…"

_Emma stares in confusion at the pair of them before finally interrupting them._

Emma: "Guys, really?"

_Snow raises an eyebrow at Emma before smiling quickly. _

Snow: "Oh, you thought we were fighting?"

_Emma eyes Snow suspiciously as Charming stands up._

Emma: "Yes…weren't you?"

_Charming laughs loudly. He raises his hand up to Snow as he passes her by._

Charming: "Up high!"

_Snow smiles happily as she slaps his outstretched hand with hers. Emma stares oddly at both of them._

Snow: "We've been practising the whole 'disgruntled-couple' act all week. I think we're doing all right so far…"

_Charming smiles as he moves over to lean on the kitchen bench once more._

Charming: "Good use of the ogre, by the way."

_Snow bows briefly before pointing towards Charming._

Snow: "Hey, even nicer turn-around but."

_Charming bows as Emma speaks up._

Emma: "Yeah, but you really walked yourself into that one though."

_Snow turns to Emma as she thinks for a moment. She finally nods once before smiling emphatically._

Emma: "Do I need to ask why the act?"

_Snow shrugs once._

Snow: "No reason, it's just with everything for us going so well it gets a little…well, boring sometimes."

_Charming quickly turns to Emma slightly embarrassed._

Charming: "But it's a good problem to have…anyway what are you up to these days? Between Henry and Killian we hardly get a chance to see you at all."

_Emma smiles awkwardly as she drinks more of her cooling beverage._

Emma: "Yeah well, life's been really busy at the moment. Which is also a good problem to have…but I can't say the same thing for Regina."

_Snow turns to Emma surprised._

Snow: "Yeah, I know…what's with her? Every time I go to see her she's never home."

_Snow and Charming exchange glances._

Charming: "Mmm, we never seem see her about town like we used to either."

_Emma nods in agreement._

Emma: "Yeah, I know…I just got back from her place right now."

_Snow turns towards Emma, her surprise quickly turning to concern._

Snow: "Did you? How's she coping?"

_Emma shrugs as she draws in an easy breath._

Emma: "Well, she isn't now that the Evil Queen's in town."

_Snow turns to Charming. _

Snow: "I always knew that was a bad idea…"

_Charming slowly shrugs before turning towards Emma._

Charming: "There wasn't much else we could do."

_Emma raises her eyebrows briefly as she takes another mouthful of coffee._

Emma: "Anyway, Regina's just locked herself in her mansion for now."

_Snow nods without much enthusiasm. _

Snow: "Mmm…well, you know what they say. When you lock yourself away from others you also shut everyone out that's trying to help you."

_Emma nods in agreement as she drains away the last of her coffee._

Emma: "Pretty much…Regina's worried about her magic so I'm going back there to see if I can help."

_Charming nods happily with approval._

Charming: "Well, tell her we're still around if she ever needs anything. Not that she'll admit to needing anyone, ever."

_Emma smiles as she stands. She places her empty mug back on the table. _

Emma: "Will do, thanks for the coffee. It won't be long before little Neal is up and walking all on his own."

_Snow turns to Emma shocked. _

Snow: "Oh, don't say that…or I'll have to baby-proof the entire flat!"

_Charming shakes his head._

Charming: "By 'I' she means me."

_Emma smiles as they exchange knowing glances._

Emma: "Naturally…"

_Snow sees them and smiles happily._

Snow: "Your father knows I'm always right even when I'm wrong."

_Charming shrugs in modest defeat._

Charming: "Why fight the inevitable?"

_Emma smiles again._

Emma: "Good advice."

_Charming sighs as he looks over the apartment with new eyes._

Charming: "But still, the first thing I'll have to baby-proof the weapons cabinet. I wouldn't want my son slaying his first dining room setting before his second birthday!"

_Emma laughs as she moves closer towards the exit._

Emma: "No. Well, good luck with your remodelling. I don't think it'll be very long before I'll have to barricade Killian's rum stash from Henry."

_Snow turns to Emma surprised as she moves to lean against the kitchen bench. _

Snow: "Oh, thankfully we've got some time before that with Neal!"

_Charming moves over to get the door for Emma. He leans in close to her to speak._

Charming: "You know how mother loves a good whine…"

_Emma smiles as she leans in as well._

Emma: "Nice one."

_Charming nods happily as he opens the door for Emma._

Charming: "Thanks…"

_Emma steps through the open door before turning around to say goodbye._

Emma: "I'll see you guys later."

_Charming nods as Snow leans around the closing door._

Snow: "Bye, Emma!"

_Emma smiles as she moves hastily down the apartment staircase._

_ Henry turns towards the Evil Queen._

Henry: "So, what does this spell actually do?"

_The Evil Queen smiles knowingly._

Evil Queen: "The Author's Spell rewrites someone's story without changing significant events that would otherwise alter the course of the spell caster's life."

_Henry raises an eyebrow._

Henry: "It changes the past without changing the present?"

_The Evil Queen laughs lightly._

Evil Queen: "Yes, I suppose it does. Well, that's the plan, anyway…still keen?"

_Henry nods emphatically. _

Henry: "Of course, what do I have to do?"

_The Evil Queen hands the small scroll to Henry._

Evil Queen: "Here take this. Now using a strong confident voice, speak the first line in the verse. After that line you cast the first ingredient in the row into the well. Then move to the next line and ingredient and so on. Continue on like that until all lines are said and all ingredients are gone."

_Henry nods slowly as the Evil Queen eyes him carefully._

Evil Queen: "Did you follow all that?"

_Henry nods again but with a little more enthusiasm._

Henry: "Speak, cast and repeat. Yes, I get it…"

_The Evil Queen smiles happily._

Evil Queen: "Good. Now the last ingredient is your book, but before you cast it in you must first name the person to whom your wish to change their fate as well as what you wish to change about their life."

_Henry nods happily._

Henry: "Okay, got it."

_The Evil Queen waggles a stern finger at Henry in warning._

Evil Queen: "Remember Henry, the more you speak the more likely things will be altered unnecessarily."

_Henry nods again and places the storybook to the right of the last of the spell's ingredients. Henry turns towards the Evil Queen._

Henry: "Hey, what are these anyway?"

_The Evil Queen laughs to herself._

Evil Queen: "You don't want to know…now I'll stand back and remember you must wish for Regina's long and lasting happiness, that is all! The spell will do the rest."

_Henry nods as the Evil Queen backs away slowly. Henry smiles at her as he unrolls the small scroll. He draws in a deep breath and speaks the first line._

Henry:_ "_The author that you now behold…"

_ Henry casts in the first ingredient causing a dark purple light to shine deep within the well. Henry turns to the Evil Queen concerned. She smiles and nods quickly once, willing him to continue._

Henry: "Must rewrite a story already told."

_ Henry casts in the second ingredient which causes the well to emit a green light. _

Henry: "Within sacred water I do consign to sink…"

_ Henry casts the next ingredient changing the well's light to turn a deep blue._

Henry: "Words written hastily with magical ink."

_ Henry casts in the fourth ingredient turning the well's light orange._

Henry: "I, who now commands their fated strife…"

_ Henry casts in the fifth ingredient causing the well to turn white._

Henry: "Do seek to change my chosen's life."

_Henry casts in the sixth ingredient making the well glow red. Henry smiles as he puts the small scroll down on the well's stone-lined rim. He draws in a large breath before picking up the storybook. He holds it over the red glow of the well and speaks. _

Henry: "I wish for true and lasting happiness to find Regina Mills…"

_Henry glances quickly over to the Evil Queen and smiles. He turns back and speaks._

Henry: "And her other half, the Evil Queen."

_The Evil Queen's eyes widen as she hears Henry's last request. She tries to stop him but he drops the storybook into the well. Suddenly the well darkens and draws in the small scroll. A second later a burst of air sucks in the front half Henry's body. He just manages to catch himself on the well's stone-lined rim as a bright light illuminates the well once again. Henry stares mesmerised into the light as the burst of air that drew him in begins to be expel itself from the well as the light grows increasingly brighter. _

_ Suddenly the light shoots upwards as a firm hand grabs Henry's shoulder and reefs him out of the well. The blast of light erupts out from within the well knocking them both unconscious as it sends them tumbling across the clearing. _

_ The beam of magic continues up into the sky high above the sleepy little town of Storybrooke._


End file.
